Why is clinical photographic evidence key in the wound management process?
To effectively manage wounds, it’s important to keep track of how they’re healing.
The foundation of chronic wound assessment is clinical monitoring, which includes visual inspection and physical examination, however, new instrumental methods for wound imaging are becoming increasingly significant. Photonics-based equipment that utilizes near-infrared light is used more often for wound imaging and many of these clinically adopted technologies are replacing outdated systems, such as TCOM, and better supporting visual assessments.
As discussed in the 2016 article, “Review of near-infrared methods for wound assessment,” by Michael G. Sowa, Wen-Chuan Kuo, Alex C. Ko, and David G. Armstrong, discusses the development of wound imaging tools to assess wounds along the entire healing trajectory.
Photo by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-person-holding-paper-and-pen-7088483/
The importance of photographic evidence for documentation
Support medical necessity
Provide quality photographic evidence of pre- and post-debridement, as an adjunct to written documentation, to support medical necessity of prolonged or repetitive debridement (Noridian healthcare solutions, 2021).
Prove proper care
Provides photographic evidence of the wound’s status which allows for a correction to be made to the documentation and prevent potential accusations of improper care (Wound Source, 2021).
Accurate baseline wound assessment
Supports best-practice medical documentation by including photographic evidence of wound size, depth, and characteristics at baseline and follow-up (MAC, 2024).
How can SnapshotNIR help your documentation practices?
SnapshotNIR simplifies documentation and supplies photographic evidence for medical necessity.
Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) provides assessment imaging that goes a step beyond simple photo documentation; NIRS can provide insight into the microvascular status of the chronic wound, and (very importantly) into the effectiveness of the patient’s individual plan of care.
SnapshotNIR can assist with supplying photographic evidence for interventions and accurate, thorough documentation. These features reduce the administrative burden on practitioners, freeing up valuable time for patient interactions and direct patient care.
SnapshotNIR works like a point-and-shoot camera providing the clinician with valuable data that directly impacts patient treatment plans and outcomes. Due to the ease-of-use of the device, SnapshotNIR gives the clinician the opportunity to learn the applications of the technology, and how to efficiently integrate and streamline it into their established processes.
“The importance of tracking the progress of wounds throughout the continuum of care is an extremely critical factor to reduce complications and improve outcomes for patients. Serial tracking with SnapshotNIR allows for a clear evaluation of the wound site and indicates improvements."
- Dr. Brian D. Lepow, DPM, DABPM, FACPM
About SnapshotNIR: SnapshotNIR, developed by Kent Imaging, is one such device using near-infrared spectroscopy to image tissue oxygenation and perfusion. SnapshotNIR is a lightweight, portable point-of-care imaging device with a user-friendly interface that can accurately measure tissue oxygenation at the microvascular level.
To read the entire review of near-infrared tools from Michael G. Sowa, et al., click here.
For a first-hand look at the advantages of NIRS technology in wound imaging, visit our webinars page, here.
References:
Sowa MG, Kuo WC, Ko AC, Armstrong DG. Review of near-infrared methods for wound assessment. Journal of biomedical optics. 2016 Sep 1;21(9):091304-.
Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC. (2021). L38904 Wound and Ulcer Care.
Wound Source. (2021). Using wound photos to enhance your documentation. HMP Global Network; Wound Source Practice Accelerator. Retrieved July 17, 2024, from https://www.woundsource.com/blog/using-wound-photos-enhance-your-documentation
MAC. (2024). Billing and coding: Skin substitute grafts/cellular and tissue-based products for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. MAC Multijurisdictional Draft Articles, 04/25/24.
Original article written on Jan 14, 2022. Updated on Oct 30, 2024.